From Laughter To Love
by iloveromance
Summary: This is my imagining of how Jerry Seinfeld and and Elaine Benes met and fell in love.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note... I got the idea for this story while writing "Harbored Feelings". Since it was never explained how Jerry and Elaine met, I thought this version might come pretty close. Not all the characters are included since at this point very little is known about Jerry Seinfeld. However one of the most prominent characters on the show that we all know and love will appear soon. Jerry doesn't appear until a little later, but please be patient! **=)  
**For those of you who have already read this story, I have rewritten the entire thing. The storyline is exactly the same but with a few changes. The chapters are longer but I have added several parts that were missing from the original. I'd appreciate your thoughts on the updated version as well.**

(Early 1980's)

Elaine Benes shivered as she walked down 42nd Avenue, doing her best to avoid the occasional happy couples that she passed along the way.

She used to be one of those happy couples...

Half of one, anyway.

Elaine and Paul.

She usually didn't go for intellectual types, but then one day in Central Park, she spotted him.

He was browsing through a book at a sidewalk book sale. She watched him with interest as he paid the vendor and settled himself onto a nearby bench.

He was nicely built; about 5'7" and he was the only man she'd ever seen who looked handsome in glasses.

He was so absorbed in his reading that he barely noticed when she approached him. Elaine stood there for several minutes before finally clearing her throat to get his attention.  
When he removed his glasses, she was stunned to realize how much he resembled James Dean. And when he spoke, the similarities were even more apparent.

"Hello." He said, giving her a smile that would put Dean to shame.

"H-Hi." She answered, barely able to get the words out.

When he returned his attention to his book, she forced herself to continue the conversation.

"That's my favorite book in the whole world." She lied, pointing to his book.

Amazingly, he put down the book and smiled at her.

Elaine couldn't help but feel proud.

She had definitely gotten his attention.

"You're a fan of Dawson?" He asked.

"Who?"  
"Robert Dawson, the author." h said.

"Oh... right." Elaine laughed nervously. "T-the author. Yep. I love him."

In truth she had no idea who this Dawson guy was.

"Well, this is simply amazing! He said. "I thought that I was the only one who even knew his name!"

"Are you kidding? I read his stuff all the time!" Elaine said, hoping he didn't notice her blushing.

He extended his hand in greeting. "I'm Paul."  
"Elaine." She said; her voice trembling.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Elaine." Paul said, placing a kiss on her hand.

He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment.

"Are you busy right now?"  
"Me? No." Elaine said.

If only he knew how un-busy she was.

"Would you like to join me for a cappuccino?"

Elaine felt as though she were dreaming...

This gorgeous man was actually asking her out?

From that moment on, they were inseparable. Paul was the smartest person she'd ever met, and was also surprisingly romantic.

They went everywhere together; the symphony, the ballet, poetry readings...

Places that she would never have gone with any other man.

For the first time in her life, Elaine was in love.

But the fairy tale wouldn't last forever...

"What are you saying?" she asked several months later as they dined at their favorite Italian restaurant.

Paul smiled and put his hand over hers.

"Now don't worry, Darling. It's just a part-time thing. I need the extra money if I want to have a secure financial future.

It's crucial. You should really be thinking about your future, too.

"I am..." Elaine said, knowing he had no idea what she meant.

"Trust me, Elaine..." Paul continued. "Working on Wall Street is a huge opportunity for me. I promise I'll always put our relationship first."

When she looked away, he turned her face toward his and kissed her gently on the lips. She really wanted to believe him, but she had a track record of being hurt by men.

Stupidly, she thought that Paul was different than the others.

Not surprisingly in the months that passed, she saw less and less of her boyfriend. They scheduled weekly dates but he always seemed to have an excuse about why he couldn't be there.

The phone messages from him were so repetitive; she didn't even have to read them to know what they said;

_I promise I'll make it up to you, Darling._

Miraculously, he did make it up to her.

The next Thursday, he presented her with a bouquet of red roses and an invitation to a romantic weekend. Just the two of them.

The agenda called for a two-night stay in a suite at the Plaza Hotel.

Elaine was in Heaven...

She was completely wrong about Paul. He was wonderful! He was doing all of this for her; all the long nights at the office, preparing for their future.

"You're crazy, Elaine." Her coworker Brenda said that afternoon. "You really think that he's being sincere when he says he's sorry?"  
"Yes I do. We're committed to each other." Elaine said, desperately wanting to believe her own words.

"Well, I hope you're right." Brenda said. "I'd hate to see you get hurt again."  
"Don't worry about it." Elaine said confidentially. "This is just the thing that we need. We've both been working really hard, and it'll be nice to get away for the weekend.  
No telling what he's got in store for us."

(Friday Night)

Elaine arrived at the Plaza Hotel at exactly 6pm. She and Paul were going to have drinks and dinner before checking in.

She took one last glance in the ladies' room mirror before making her grand entrance in the Plaza Bar and Grill. She was glad that she had splurged on a new dress for the occasion. The black taffeta dress accentuated her curves and made her feel like a million dollars. With more confidence than she'd felt in a long time, she walked into the bar, smiling when heads began to turn in her direction.  
Paul would be stunned when he saw her. Rarely if ever had she worn a dress on one of their dates.

But this was a night of new beginnings...

(Later that evening)

Elaine looked at her watch; 8:45pm and still no sign of Paul.

"Bartender, can I have another drink please?" she asked, handing him a $5 bill.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks."  
She took the drink from him, stirring it with her straw, and then emptied the glass in one gulp.

"Whoa, you'd better slow down a little. We may have to get you a taxi for the ride home." The bartender said with a smile.

"It's okay. I'm staying here tonight. W-with my boyfriend." Elaine said.

The bartender scoffed. "Some boyfriend, leaving a beautiful woman like you alone."  
Elaine smiled, grateful for the comment. "Thanks, but he'll be here. He's just running late."

Minutes later, she was startled by a tap on her shoulder.

"Paul, where have you-."  
But it wasn't Paul.

"Miss Benes?"  
She looked up to find the maître d' smiling at her.

"Yes?"

"A message for you, ma'am."

Elaine's heart sank.

No... Not again...

Her eyes filled with tears when the maître d' produced a small white envelope.

"Thank you." She said, taking the envelope from him. Carefully she tore it open and read the note inside;

_Darling, I'm afraid I won't be able to make it this weekend after all. Work has been piling up and I just can't get away. I'm so very sorry.-I promise, I'll make it up to you. Paul_

The bartender looked at her with concern. "Bad news" he asked, noticing the hurt expression on her face.

She gave him a watery smile.

"No. Just the usual."  
She finished her drink and crumpled up the note; tossing it onto the floor.

Damn him...

Then, ignoring the stares of the surprised patrons, she dashed out of the hotel (and out of Paul's life).

Forever.


	2. Chapter 2

Elaine walked briskly until she neared Times Square. She should just go home, but she really didn't feel like dealing with questions from her roommate tonight. She needed to be alone.

Her watch told her that it was only 9:30; early by New York City standards. What kind of pathetic loser would she be to just go home and sulk on a Saturday night?

She didn't need Paul. She should have seen this coming a long time ago. A terrible thought occurred to her just then...

What would she say to Brenda? Her co-worker was convinced that Paul would break her heart, but Elaine didn't want to give Brenda the satisfaction of being right.

When she approached the heart of Times Square, she noticed an unfamiliar building. It was an unusual establishment, adorned in vibrant neon purple and green lights.

How in the world could she have missed this place?  
Then she remembered...

Paul.

Paul wouldn't have been caught dead in Times Square, no matter how many times Elaine begged him to go. Sure, Elaine loved going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to admire the many exhibits, as well as the ballet performances and the cozy coffee houses they visited.

But she wanted something more...

She wanted to have fun.

She glanced at the building again, noting that even the name was unusual...

_Laughter_

A comedy club! After the horrible evening she'd had, this was just what she needed.

She walked inside the tiny club, amazed to find it almost deserted. There were maybe twenty people, including the staff, but she didn't mind. She definitely wasn't in the mood to be with a big crowd right now.

Not wanting to be conspicuous, she found a secluded table in the back and sat down. She hung her coat over a chair and began to browse the menu. She was absolutely starving and right now anything sounded good.

A waiter appeared with a glass of ice water.

"Thanks." Elaine said, drinking the water in one gulp. "I was dying of thirst."  
"I can see that." The waiter said, clearly amused. "Can I get you another?"

Elaine started to order a strawberry daiquiri, but decided against it. The effects of the drinks she'd had at the Plaza were creeping up on her.

"Yes please." She answered the waiter. "And some chips and salsa."

"Right away, ma'am." The waiter said. "And please forgive my boldness, but your dress is lovely."  
Elaine felt the heat rise in her cheeks. "Oh. Thank you. Just a little something I picked out for..."  
Her voice trailed off, remembering.

The waiter sensed her uneasiness and dropped the subject. "I'll be right back." He said.

Later as she sipped her water and ate her meal, she watched the comedian who was performing on stage. The small crowd roared at his ridiculous one-liners. Lines she had heard at least ten times, if not more.

She rolled her eyes. How can these people possibly think this guy is funny? The only thing funny about him was his goofy appearance.

But then again, sitting here watching him was far better than sulking in her apartment.

When the comedian finished, applause filled the room. The emcee stepped onto the stage.

"Thank you, Folks! Our next young comic is a New Yorker in every sense of the word. Making his debut here at _Laughter_, please welcome...

Jerry Seinfeld!"

The sparse applause he received couldn't hold a candle to the last guy. Elaine almost felt sorry for him.

"Hey! What a great-looking crowd we have here! Jerry said to the now-less than twenty people in the audience.

When he began his routine, Elaine couldn't help but laugh at his amusing observations of everyday life; parents, New York and air-travel.

She realized that she was only half-listening when something caught her attention...

"... These intellectual types, they're something, aren't they? Sitting in the park or coffee shop reading. All the time with the glasses and trying to look sophisticated. But we all know that deep down they'd rather be reading a Superman comic book."

Elaine doubled over with laughter, amazed to find that hardly anyone else was joining in.

This guy was hilarious!

"... And speaking of books, these intellectuals always seem to be reading books by authors that we pretend to know, but haven't a clue who they are. Isn't this true? Take Robert Dawson for instance."  
Elaine froze.

_Robert Dawson_? The only time she'd ever heard that name was when she met Paul in Central Park.

_How was that possible?  
Was this a sign?_

She stared at this Jerry Seinfeld person. Unlike the last loser on stage, Jerry was impeccably dressed; a maroon sport coat, blue jeans, dark print shirt and a blue tie.

And tennis shoes.

The fact that he wore tennis shoes with a sport coat made her grin.

Then she looked at his face. He was very handsome; tall and thin with dark wavy hair that completed his polished look.

The exact opposite of Paul Anderson.

"... This guy Dawson is a piece of work, literally." Jerry was saying. "And does anyone really know who he is? And even if we say that we do, our knowledge of his writing probably doesn't go any further than the book jacket."

By this time, Elaine was having so much fun; she'd forgotten all about Paul what's-his-name.


	3. Chapter 3

Jerry breathed a sigh of relief as he stood backstage.

Thank God that's over...

He'd really blown it tonight; His first big break in New York. He'd done lots of comedy clubs, but this was his first in Times Square.

Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, the evening didn't go as planned.

For starters, the crowd was sparse. He'd seen bigger crowds in line at the grocery store for the free samples.

The spiced apple cider was always a big hit.

He had to admit that he was taken aback by the small audience size tonight. He'd done sets in smaller clubs with three times the number of people in attendance.

Sure, _Laughter_ was a relatively new club, but it certainly wasn't an unknown establishment. It had been featured in the _New York Times_ and had hosted some incredibly famous comedians, most of whom had gone on to appear on Johnny Carson's show.

Jerry could only begin to imagine what it must be like to perform for a national audience. It was a dream he'd had most of his life.

He should be thrilled to have even had the opportunity to perform at Laughter, following in the footsteps of some of the greatest comedians around. But he couldn't help thinking about tonight's performance.  
He thought he had created the perfect blend of comedy, but he was disappointed in the audience's reaction. They were barely laughing.

That is, except for one woman.

She sat all alone in a darkened corner of the club, laughing hysterically at his jokes. It was a wonderful sound; almost melodic. And once he caught a glimpse of the source of that laughter, it was hard to look away.  
She was quite possibly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

Normally Jerry was able to spread his gaze around the room; to let each audience member feel as though he was speaking directly to them.

Not tonight...

He couldn't take his eyes off of her. The dark, wavy hair that cascaded down her back. Her perfectly placed facial features.

And that dress!

"And that ends our show for the evening." The emcee was saying, startling Jerry out of his thoughts. "Thank you for joining us. Please come again on Thursday night when our special guests will be..."

The emcee's voice trailed off as Jerry's thoughts returned to the mysterious woman. Suddenly he realized that it was only a matter of minutes before the club would be empty.

People rarely stuck around after the end of a show.

He simply had to meet this woman.

Quickly, he pulled a comb from the back pocket of his jeans and ran it through his hair. After an even quicker glance in the mirror, he rushed to the stage...

Just in time to see her walking out the door.


	4. Chapter 4

Elaine glanced at her watch, shocked to find that it was after 3am. Rarely had she stayed out so late; even on a Saturday night.  
The streets were eerily quiet and she realized that she should have taken a cab home. What was she thinking, walking home alone in the dark?  
Paul will have a fit if he finds out.

Paul... God what a nightmare he'd turned out to be.

She entered her apartment and tossed her keys onto a nearby table. Her answering machine blinked rapidly and she ran to check it. She exhaled exasperatingly as Paul's voice consumed every message; each one a different version of the same pathetic pleas for forgiveness.

_In your dreams, Paul Anderson._

Later as she lay in bed, her mind drifted back to the earlier events of the evening. She should have just gone home after the fiasco at the hotel. Any normal person would have.

But not Elaine.

She refused to sit and wallow in sadness.

Instead, she ended up having the time of her life.

After endless Saturday nights of listening to dark, depressing (and often BAD) poetry from Paul's lame friends, it was like a godsend to be sitting in a comedy club, not having to pretend that she was enjoying herself.

Without warning, thoughts of the handsome comedian resurfaced and she found that she couldn't get him out of her mind. He wasn't drop-dead gorgeous as she had once thought Paul to be, but there was something about this Jerry Seinfeld person that she found incredibly attractive.

God, what was wrong with her? She didn't even know the man and yet she felt as though they were destined to be together...

But that was crazy. Fate and destiny were something that only happened in romance novels and romantic movies.

Not to Elaine Benes...


	5. Chapter 5

"Anything else?" The waitress asked as she poured Jerry another glass of iced tea.

"No, we're fine. Thanks." His friend George Costanza answered.

Jerry looked at his friend in dismay. "She was talking to me!"  
"Well, you didn't want anything else, did you?" George asked.

"As a matter of fact, I might!" Jerry said, unable to hide the irritation that crept into his voice.

The waitress rolled her eyes and started to walk away.

"Hey wait a minute!" Jerry called to her. "I wasn't finished! Give me a ham omelet and a side of hash browns."'

"You've got it, Seinfeld." The waitress said, quickly jotting down the order.

"_What_?" Jerry yelled, seeing George's incredulous look.

"Are you _crazy_?" George asked. "You've already consumed a burger and fries, _plus_ three glasses of iced tea, which, I must point out, you _never_ do, and now you go and order an entire breakfast entrée? What's gotten into you?"

"I'm hungry, okay?" Jerry snapped, almost yelling the words.

George narrowed his eyes.

"What now?" Jerry yelled as George stared at him.

"It's Kathryn, isn't it?"  
"What?"  
"You can tell me. You called her, didn't you?" George began to laugh. "I knew you couldn't stay away."  
"That's been over for months." Jerry said, cringing at the thought of his obnoxious ex-girlfriend.  
George shook his head in disbelief. "I told you not to call her."  
"I didn't call her!" Jerry yelled, noticing the other patrons were staring at him.

"So what's going on? Why are you acting so weird?" George asked.

Jerry sighed. "I met someone last night."  
George's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Really? You met a girl?"  
"Yes, George. I met a _girl_." Jerry said, making sure he emphasized the last word.

"Wow, that's... great. Just great." George said glumly.  
"What's with you?" Jerry asked, noting that George's tone had been more upbeat when he found out that his beloved dog died when they were in the third grade.

"Oh nothing." George sighed. "It's just that I haven't been with a woman in _weeks_. I'm like a _disease_!"

"What happened to Donna?" Jerry asked.

"You mean Donna from my mother's card group?" George asked.

"Yeah, what was wrong with her?"  
"Jerry, are you listening to yourself? I'm not dating _anyone_ who knows my mother! Case closed!"  
For effect, George waved his hands like an umpire calling a baseball player safe at the plate.

Jerry nodded knowingly. "You've got a point there."  
"So tell me about this girl." George prompted. "What does she do?"  
Jerry shrugged. "I have no idea."  
"What do you mean, you have no idea? You slept with her, didn't you?"  
"How could I have slept with her? I don't even know her name." Jerry admitted.

George almost choked on his coffee.

"Wait, hold on. You didn't get her name? Did you talk to her?"  
"No." Jerry said miserably.

"What is she, a mime?"  
"A _mime_?" Jerry asked, amazed at Jerry's question.

"So where did you meet her?" George asked.

"Well, I didn't exactly meet her." Jerry admitted.

At this news, George slid out of the booth and rose to his feet.  
"Wait a minute, wait a minute! Hold on! What in the hell are you talking about?" He asked, yelling the question.  
Then, embarrassed to find that everyone in the diner was staring at him (even the cook!), he sat down.

"Are you through making a fool out of yourself?" Jerry asked.

"I'm sorry." George said, sounding as though he were on the verge of tears. "I just want to know!"

He buried his head in his hands in shame.

Jerry sighed. He may as well tell him. When it came to women, George never let up. He had to know every detail.

"She was in the audience at the club last night. It was hard not to notice her, because she was the only one laughing. I tell ya, these audiences are getting worse and worse all the time."  
The color had finally returned to George's face and he was once again acting like the kid in the candy store.

"Yeah, yeah, forget about that. What about the girl? Is she good-looking?"

"Yes, of course she's good-looking!" Jerry said hesitantly.

"But..." George prompted.

"She's beautiful, George. But it doesn't matter anyway." Jerry said, relieved to have finally vented his frustrations.

"Why not?" George asked.

"You should have seen her, George." Jerry said distractedly. "Long, wavy hair, beautiful eyes... and she was wearing this dress...

My God, as long as I live, I'll never forget that dress!"

"So what's the problem?" George asked. "Just ask her out."  
"How am I supposed to do that?" Jerry asked. "I couldn't even talk to her. As soon as I had a chance to go over to her, she was gone."  
"So, look her up." George said.

"How, George? I don't even know her name! What am I supposed to do, look in the phone book under _Beautiful woman in gorgeous dress_?"

George shrugged. "It couldn't hurt."  
"Yeah right." Jerry said sarcastically. "There's only about a million women in New York City who fit that description, so finding her should be a snap."

The waitress sat Jerry's breakfast entree down on the table.

"What was I thinking, ordering more food? Jerry asked, looking at the plate. "I'm not even the least bit hungry."  
He looked up to find George eyeing the omelet with envy.

"Do you want this?" He asked, pushing the plate toward his friend.

George grabbed his fork and began devouring the meal.

"No thanks. I'm not hungry."


	6. Chapter 6

_Monday morning..._

"Elaine?"  
"Elaine?"  
"Earth to Elaine!"

Startled, Elaine looked up to find Brenda leaning over the partition that divided their cubicles, frantically waving her arms.

"Huh?" Elaine responded blankly.

"Where are you this morning?" Brenda asked. "I've been trying to get your attention for the last fifteen minutes."

Nervously, Elaine shuffled through the papers that were strewn across her desk. "I-I have to get this proposal done by noon. I'm so far behind already."

Suddenly, Brenda rolled her office chair around the corner and sat down next to Elaine.  
"Brenda, what are you doing?" Elaine asked, frantically checking to see if the boss was watching.  
"Forget the proposal." Brenda said.

"Are you crazy? I've been working on this for months! Don't you realize that this could make or break my career?" Elaine said, feeling her heart beating a mile a minute.

"What is going on with you?" Brenda asked.

"I-I don't know what you mean." Elaine stammered as warmth crept into her cheeks.  
Brenda stared at her friend. "You're blushing! Wow, I guess I was wrong about Paul. You must have had some weekend."  
"Paul?"  
"Yeah... Paul. Your boyfriend."  
When Elaine didn't respond, Brenda's expression changed.

"He dumped you, didn't he? Damn him! That little..."

Suddenly Elaine was reminded of the events that took place before she wandered into Laughter. She could think of a few choice words to add to Brenda's description of her former boyfriend. But being accused of being dumped cut her like a knife.

"You think I was dumped? How could you say that?" Elaine couldn't help yelling the words.  
There was a long, uncomfortable silence as Elaine resumed sorting her papers. She turned when she felt Brenda's hand on her back.

"Look, I'm sorry. I just assumed..." Brenda said. "God I am such a jerk, sometimes."  
Elaine sighed. "It's fine, don't worry about it."  
But Brenda continued. "I'm just worried about you. You're not yourself today. You've been in a daze all morning. It's like your body came to work but your brain is somewhere else."  
Elaine groaned. Brenda knew her so well, and wouldn't give up until she knew the whole story.

(Several minutes later)

"Whoa, that was some weekend!" Brenda exclaimed when Elaine finished her recounts of the past two days. "So what are you going to do about the guy?"  
Elaine was confused. "Who? Paul? I want to tell him to blow it out his-."  
Brenda put up a hand to stop her.

"No, this Jerry Seinstein person."  
"Sein-_feld_" Elaine corrected.

"Whatever." Brenda said. "So what's he like?"  
Elaine smiled, remembering the handsome comedian who had unknowingly saved her from a weekend of despair.

"Well... he's funny."

Brenda rolled her eyes. "Yeah, no kidding, Benes. I mean, what's he like? Did you guys hit it off?"  
"Actually we never spoke. I left right after the show." Elaine said.

"Elaine! You didn't even wait to talk to him?" Brenda yelled incredulously. "Why in the hell not?"  
Seeing the irritated glare of her co-worker Dan, Elaine shushed Brenda. "Do you want to get us both fired?"

"So why didn't you talk to him? Brenda asked in a whisper that was still audible throughout the office.

"I-I was embarrassed. Why would a guy like Jerry want to talk to me?" Elaine asked.

Brenda's eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Okay, who are you and what have you done with Elaine Benes?"  
Elaine laughed. "What does _that_ mean?"

"You're beautiful, Elaine! I would kill to have hair like yours!" Brenda said, fingering the ends of her own shoulder-length brown hair that was streaked with blonde highlights.

Elaine sighed. "Thanks for the compliment, but it doesn't matter anyway. I'll never see him again."  
"What makes you say that?"  
"Well, I'm definitely not going to go looking for him." Elaine said, hoping her voice didn't sound as insecure as she felt.

"God knows I'm not that desperate."

"Since when is looking for love considered desperate?" Brenda asked. "Just go into _Laughter _and say hello after his set."  
"What if he doesn't perform there anymore? Brenda, I can't just go in and ask for him. The staff will think I'm some kind of loser."

Brenda smiled. "If this Seinstein person is as funny as you say he is, believe me... he's still there. No way is a small club going to get rid of real talent. They rely on it.

Elaine grinned at Brenda's pronunciation of Jerry's last name. "Sein-FELD" she corrected again.

Brenda didn't speak, but her smile sent Elaine the message loud and clear.

Elaine rolled her eyes. "All right. I'll go back to _Laughte_r on Saturday. What's the worst that can happen? Wait... Don't answer that."

Brenda smiled and hugged Elaine. "You'll be fine. Trust me, Paul is the loser, not you." She said as she scooted her chair back to her cubicle.

Elaine grinned and eyed her calendar thoughtfully. She could hardly wait until Saturday.


	7. Chapter 7

(Saturday Night)

Jerry stood backstage straightening his tie for the third time.

"Five minutes, Seinfeld." The emcee called from the stage.

"Thanks, Alan." Jerry replied.

_God, why am I so nervous tonight?_ _It's not like I've never done this before._

Before he knew it, he heard his name being called, followed by applause. His throat went dry, but he raced onto the stage, grateful for the pitcher of water that sat on the table. His fingers trembled as he poured himself a glass. Quickly he drank it down and smiled at his audience.

"What a great crowd!" He said to the small group of people seated around the club. "How many of you are from New York?"  
A few people applauded.  
"New Yorkers are the best, aren't they?" Jerry said with a smile.

"You got that right, Dude!" A man yelled from the doorway, causing the audience to laugh.

"Okay, now how many of you are from Jersey?" Jerry continued.

The sound of distant clapping followed.  
"My condolences." Jerry said, pleased when the audience laughed.

"So the rest of you... those who didn't clap... you don't know where you're from, right?"

Again some laughter.

"Okay, well... Has anyone experienced a breakup lately?" Jerry asked.

This time there was a lot of applause.

"Wow, so what I'm gathering is that after a breakup, you no longer know where you live?"

He smiled at the positive reaction he was getting. This was going much better than his set last weekend. He crossed the stage and took another drink of water.

"So who did the breaking up? You or the other person? Because you always want to be the one who ended it, am I right? My friend George breaks up with women at the drop of a hat. He once broke up with someone because the stripes on her shirt were sewn in wrong. He said she looked like a clown that had escaped from the New York Penitentiary."

Just then he noticed faint laughter coming from a dark corner of the room, amazed to find that he recognized it. But that was crazy. Who recognizes laughter from an audience that changes every week?

Quickly he returned his attention to his audience.

"What would a clown have to do to get himself arrested? Run a red light in one of those little cars? They pack like fifty clowns in those things. What if they get pulled over by a traffic cop? It would take hours just to give the driver a ticket because he wouldn't be able to find his wallet. They'd all have to get out of the car, just so he could move his arms."

The joke was met with more laughter than anything he'd ever said on stage before. It came from the same direction; the dark corner of the room. When the laugh came again, the sound was unmistakable.

He peered into the corner and his chest began to tighten.

It was her! The woman in the incredible dress from last week! Suddenly, he was more nervous than ever before.

He stared at her, unable to look away. She was dressed casually tonight; jeans and a blue sweater.

But she was even more beautiful than he remembered.

When he finished his last joke, he barely noticed the rousing applause that followed. Moments later, he peered through the curtains from behind the stage.

His biggest performance was just moments away.


	8. Chapter 8

Nervously, Elaine glanced at her reflection in her compact mirror. She smoothed her hair and put on just a touch of mauve-tinted lipstick.

I can't believe I'm actually doing this...

She stared at the stage door, willing it to open.

_Please God... Please let him still be here._

She looked around the club, surprised to find that she was the only customer left. Even a few of the employees were leaving.

Tears filled her eyes when she realized that she'd missed her chance.

_Great, Benes. You've blown it again..._

Damn it! Why had she run out so quickly last week? Angrily, she brushed the tears away, knowing that her freshly-applied makeup was now ruined. It didn't matter anyway.

The touch of a hand on her shoulder caused her to gasp.

The bouncer appeared before her, blocking her view of the stage door.

"Are you supposed to be here, Missy?" His voice was gruff and unkind.

"Well, I was just..." Elaine stammered.

Oh God, now she was going to get herself thrown out! She'd never be able to set foot in here again.

She knew this was a big mistake. Damn...

"She's with me." Said a familiar voice.

Stunned, she turned to find Jerry Seinfeld standing inches away from her. Immediately her pulse quickened and she was sure that the temperature in the club had risen several degrees.

"Are you sure about that, Seinfeld?" The bouncer asked, giving Jerry a fierce look.

"I asked her to meet me here." Jerry said.

"Really..." The bouncer said. "So who is she?" He glared at Elaine with disgust. "She certainly ain't one of our regulars."

Jerry froze.

"I'm waitin' Seinfeld. You've got two minutes to explain what she's doin' here or I'm throwin' her out. And you too." The bouncer growled.

Jerry looked at Elaine and she saw a flash of panic fill his eyes. "This is..."  
"Elaine Benes." She finished for him.

Her heart warmed when she noticed his grateful smile.

"Elaine, huh?" The bouncer said to Jerry. "Friend of yours?"  
"You could say that." Jerry said with a grin. "In fact, Elaine's my... girlfriend."

Unexpectedly he took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it tenderly. "Did you enjoy the show, Sweetheart?"

Elaine could only nod in reply. Her body felt numb, and she gripped his hand tightly. If she let go, she was sure she would faint.

Jerry smiled. "See, Jeff? She's speechless. She has no speech! My show was amazing, wasn't it?"

Again, Elaine could only nod as she stared into his gorgeous eyes.

Jeff gave an audible sigh. "All right, Seinfeld. You win. But next time all guests have to check in through the front office. I'm not running a charity show here."

"I'll remember that." Jerry said with a nod.

"You got ten minutes to get out of here, or I'm gonna toss you out myself." Jeff said.

Immediately, Elaine withdrew her hand from Jerry's and stood to put on her coat. "Yeah, I should probably get going."

"Wait..." Jerry said, stopping Elaine in her tracks. "I'll walk you out. I'll be back in a minute."

Elaine watched as Jerry disappeared through the stage door. Minutes later he returned wearing a brown suede jacket.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked.

"Um, yeah." Elaine said, noticing that the words came out in a squeak. Jerry must have noticed as well, judging by the grin on his face.

Together they walked out of the club and found themselves standing in the cold, crisp air. They stared at each other for what seemed like minutes, but the silence was strangely comforting.

Finally Jerry extended his hand. "I'm Jerry Seinfeld, but I guess you already know that."  
Elaine laughed. "Yeah, well, we were never formally introduced. I'm Elaine Benes."  
They shook hands and the warmth of Jerry's skin sent shockwaves through Elaine's body.

"Nice to meet you, Elaine." Jerry said. "Thanks for saving me back there."  
Elaine was shocked. "I saved _you_?"

Jerry laughed. "Well yeah. If you hadn't said your name, I would have been stuck for sure."  
"Well then I should thank you, too." Elaine said. "I was afraid that I was literally going to get thrown out."

"It was a good thing that we were there for each other." Jerry said.  
Elaine blushed. "Yeah, it was."

"I guess I should be getting home." Jerry said after another brief silence.

"Um yeah. Me too." Elaine said.

"Do you live far from here?" Jerry asked.

"Just a few blocks." Elaine answered.

"It's late. Do you mind if I walk you home?"  
"Oh... You don't have to do that." Elaine said, feeling like a teenager. "I-I'm sure you have things you need to do."  
"It's no trouble, really. And I'd hate knowing that you were walking by yourself around here at night" Jerry said.

Elaine smiled at his thoughtfulness.

"That would be nice."

They walked to her apartment and made small talk along the way. Elaine was still laughing at Jerry's wonderful sense of humor when they arrived at her doorstep.

"Well, this is my place." Elaine said. "Thank you for walking me home. It was very sweet of you."  
She was amazed to see Jerry blush.

"It's not safe walking around here at night. Those all-night pizza places can be torture if you're on a diet."

Elaine burst out laughing and inadvertently hugged Jerry. When she realized what she had done, she quickly pulled away.

"Oh God... I'm sorry."

Embarrassed, she turned away from him.

"Don't be." Jerry said. "Okay. Well, before I say something really stupid, I should probably get going."

"Oh..." Elaine said, desperately wanting him to stay.

"Thanks for coming to the show. I need all the audience I can get." Jerry said. "You were there last week, too, weren't you?"

"Yeah, I was walking home from..."  
Damn... Why did she have to remember that horrible evening now? Sadly she looked down at her feet.

"You were saying?" Jerry asked.

Elaine looked up. "Oh, I was going to say that I passed the club on my way home and decided to stop in. I loved your set by the way."

"Thanks, that really means a lot to me." Jerry said.

Elaine immediately noticed that Jerry's face got brighter.

"Yeah. I don't hear it very much; especially in these small clubs. Half the time the audience is drunk and they'll applaud for anything-even the clean up crew."  
Elaine laughed. "Well I wasn't drunk... Oh God... I mean... I thought you were very funny."  
At that moment she wanted to craw into a hole. She had a terrible sense of humor.

Jerry shifted his feet back and forth. Elaine couldn't believe this guy who seemed so confident on stage was as nervous as she was.

"I was wondering..." Jerry finally said. "If you aren't doing anything tomorrow night... would you like to have dinner with me?"

Elaine smiled, barely able to contain her excitement. "I'd like that... A lot."  
"Great." Jerry said. "I'll pick you up around 6:30?"

"That's perfect." Elaine said.

Jerry smiled and she suddenly realized how boyishly handsome he was. She could hardly believe that this was happening. She turned to go back to her apartment but couldn't help watching him as he walked down the street.

Suddenly, tomorrow night seemed like a lifetime away...


	9. Chapter 9

(Sunday morning)

"Where have you been, Costanza?" Jerry yelled as George walked through the door of Monk's Diner.

George threw up his hands in exasperation and glanced at his watch. "It's only 8:37!"

"We agreed on 8:30!" Jerry said, watching he watched his friend slide into the seat opposite him.

"So what? Now you're mad over a mere seven minutes? This from a guy who once tried to date two women on the same night? What's with you, anyway?" George asked.

"I like punctuality, okay?" Jerry yelled, startling George.

After a brief silence, he sighed.

"I'm sorry, okay? You're right. I tossed and turned all night. I couldn't sleep. What's your story?"

"It's Sunday morning." George said. "I had to tell my parents that I was getting up early to attend a church service. The reason I'm late is because as soon as I said the word church, my mother actually fainted and I couldn't find the smelling salts."

Jerry laughed hysterically, grateful for George's unintentional humor.

"I'm starving." George said, frantically looking around the restaurant for a waitress. "CAN WE GET SOME SERVICE OVER HERE?" He yelled.

"What is _with_ you?" Jerry asked, burying his head in his hands. "Geez... and I thought I was cranky."

George sighed. "It's my mother. She's always on my case to find a job and move out of the house."  
Jerry grinned. "Well, you know... most men in their 30's don't live with their parents. And, I must point out, they have jobs."  
George shifted angrily in his seat. "You too? Man, I'm getting it from all sides now! IT NEVER ENDS!"

"Hey! Pipe down, will ya?" The waitress called from the counter. "I got customers here!"  
"Coulda fooled me." George muttered, glaring in the direction of the waitress.

He turned to Jerry. "So what was so important that I had to be here at the crack of dawn? And it better be _good_!"

Proudly, Jerry leaned against the back of the vinyl seat. "Well, I did it."

George looked at him, puzzled. "Did what?"  
"I met her, George. I talked to her." Jerry couldn't help but grin.

"Whoa, wait a minute." George said. "Met who?"  
"Oh I don't _believe_ this!" Jerry said. "You forgot _already_? The girl from the club? The one in the incredible dress?"

That certainly got George's attention. "Oh my God! Are you serious? That's incredible! How did you do it?"  
Jerry smiled. "She came to the club and saw my set last night. I couldn't believe it."  
"Wow..." was all that George could say. "So you really talked to her?"  
Jerry leaned foreword in his seat, motioning for George to come closer. "Not only did I talk to her, but I saved her from getting thrown out by the bouncer."

He paused, waiting for George's reaction.

"Are you serious?" George said again. "You actually came to her rescue? You're like a regular John Wayne."

"John Wayne? Who did he ever rescue?" Jerry asked.

"Uh, you know... in that movie he, um, rescued that girl... it was a Western." George said.

"Forget about that, okay? Jerry said, surprised that he was so anxious to tell his friend about his heroic action.

Suddenly he felt like Superman.

"Okay, so now... Tell me everything." George said.

"Well, she was all alone in the club. The house lights had come up and most everyone had gone home. The bouncer started giving her a hard time about why she was there and I stepped in and pretended to be her _boyfriend_."  
Jerry said the last word so faintly that George had to lean in further to hear.

"Her _what_?" George asked.

"It's a long story." Jerry admitted, surprised when George didn't prompt him to continue.

"So what now?" George asked.

"Well, I'm taking her to dinner tonight." Jerry said as a faraway look filled his eyes.

"You haven't slept at all, have you?" George asked.

Jerry groaned. His best friend knew him so well.

"I can't stop thinking about her." He confessed. "It nearly killed me last night when we said goodbye at her apartment."

"Her _apartment_?" George grinned slyly. "Why you son of a gun! No wonder you're tired!"

Jerry flinched, realizing what George meant. "You think I _slept_ with her? I barely know her!"

George's eyes narrowed. "That never stopped you before."  
Jerry couldn't argue with that. "Yeah, but this woman is different."  
He could see that George was intrigued.

"All right. What do you want to know?" Jerry asked, reading George's expression like a book.

"Everything." George said, the excitement returning to his eyes. "What's her name? What's she like? How old is she?"  
Jerry's eyes widened. "Wow, George... Do you want her Social Security number, too?"  
"Sure if you have it." George said, unfazed by Jerry's sarcasm.

Jerry proceeded to tell George the story of meeting Elaine, amazed that he remembered every detail.  
"Elaine huh?" George pondered.

"Elaine Benes." Jerry said the name proudly, as though he had made it up.

"So what time do you pick her up?" George asked.

"6:30." Jerry replied.

George looked at his watch. "Well Jer, that means you only have a little over eight hours to get ready."  
Jerry glanced at his own watch. "Oh my God, you're right! I've got to go!" He sprang from his seat and pulled out his wallet, tossing some bills onto the table.

"Wait! What are you doing?" George asked.

"Paying the bill." Jerry replied.

"But we haven't ordered anything!" George yelled as he watched Jerry walk out of the diner.


	10. Chapter 10

(That night... 6:28pm)

Jerry stood on the steps of Elaine's brownstone, shuffling his feet. Why was he so nervous?

_Come on, Seinfeld, Calm down. It's just a date._

He checked his hair and clothes in the reflection of the front glass doors, hoping he hadn't over-dressed. He wore a black sport coat and the nicest pair of slacks he owned. Instead of his typical "loud" shirt, he chose a pale blue.

He had to admit, he looked pretty good.

He had made reservations at an Italian restaurant that Elaine was sure to love. Patrons of Laughter were always raving about the food and the service.

On a whim, he stopped by a sidewalk flower stand and purchased a bouquet of pink flowers. Sure, it was old-fashioned, but he wanted to make the best impression possible.

He took a deep breath and pressed the buzzer, sighing with relief when she unlocked the door remotely from her apartment. He made a mental note to mention that their apartments were similar (security-wise) in case the evening went badly and he needed a conversation topic.

Opening the door, he ran up the three flights of stairs two at a time. Once he got to the top, however, he wished he had taken the elevator. He stopped to catch his breath and then walked around the floor looking for 3D, her apartment number. When he found it, his stomach tightened with anticipation.

He knocked on the door and he could feel his pulse increase when he heard her footfalls and then the jangling of what was probably a chain lock.

Then the door opened...

What he saw literally took his breath away.

Elaine stood in the doorway, smiling at him. She was beautiful. Her long hair fell like waves, spilling onto her shoulders. But what captivated him most was the dress. It was THE DRESS! The same one she'd worn the night he first saw her at Laughter. The sexy, satin-ish (oh what was that material called again?) black dress that showed off her incredible figure.  
He was sure that it was the first time in history that a comedian was ever rendered speechless.

Self-consciously, Elaine looked down at her dress and then up at Jerry.

"What's wrong? Am I over-dressed?"

Jerry swallowed hard.  
"You're stunning." He said, cringing at his choice of words.

Elaine blushed. "Really?"  
Jerry could only nod.

"Um... You look nice, too." Elaine said.

Her voice told Jerry that she was nervous as well.

Suddenly he remembered the flowers he held in his hand.

"These are for you." He said, handing her the bouquet.

Her eyes lit up, making her even more beautiful (if that was possible).

"Oh Jerry... Thank you."  
He got the impression that no one had given her flowers before and the thought saddened him.

"So..." Elaine said shyly. "Are you ready to go? I don't even know where we're going. Um...not that it matters."

Jerry smiled. "Hopefully it will be an evening that you'll never forget."

(Later that evening)

"Oh my God, that was the best meal I've ever had in my life." Elaine said as Jerry walked her to the door.

"Yeah, the food was pretty good, wasn't it? Who knew canned pasta could be so tasty!"  
Elaine laughed and playfully punched him in the arm. "Jerry, you are going to make me pass out if I laugh any more! I think I made a scene in that restaurant from laughing so much! People were staring at me!"

"No, that was me they were staring at. They were probably wondering what a guy like me was doing with someone so beautiful." Jerry said.

Elaine felt her cheeks burn. Jerry had been a complete gentleman the entire evening. She hadn't had this much fun on a date in... well, in a lifetime.

Without thinking, she said. "Would you like to come in?"  
Jerry smiled. "Yeah, that would be nice."  
She led him inside and closed the door. "Would you like a drink?"  
"Sure." Jerry said.

Elaine peered into her refrigerator. "Let's see... I have orange juice, apple juice, water, iced tea..."  
"Iced tea sounds good." Jerry said.

Elaine could feel her hand shaking as she poured him a glass of iced tea. When she turned to bring him the glass, she noticed that he'd made himself comfortable on her sofa.

Suddenly her nervousness increased.

Just stay calm, Elaine. Everything will be fine. This is a new guy. A chance to start over.

"Have a seat." Jerry said, patting the sofa and gesturing her to sit down.

"Oh... Okay. Well here's your tea." She placed the glass of iced tea on the coffee table.

"Thanks." Jerry said.

As soon as Elaine sat down, she could feel the warmth of Jerry's body next to hers. She tried to make herself comfortable when suddenly she felt Jerry's arm go around her shoulder.

"Just relax." He said, surprising her with his gentle tone.

She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry..."

"I'm not." He whispered.  
His fingers stroked her hair and he began to trail kisses down the side of her neck. His kisses reached her cheekbone and she gasped when his mouth captured hers, kissing her over and over again.

Was this really the same guy who was so outgoing and funny? Was it possible that he was as nervous as she was?

Without warning or explanation, unsettling memories of Paul came flooding back, trapping her inside them.

She bolted upright on the sofa, clearly leaving Jerry confused.

"What's wrong?"  
Her mouth quivered as hot, stinging tears filled her eyes; tears she had to fight to keep at bay.

She tried to speak, but the words were barely a whisper. "Nothing... I'm sorry."

A lone tear escaped and slid down her cheek.

"Lainey, you're crying." Jerry said, brushing the tear away. "Was it something I did? I-I didn't mean to be so foreword. I'm sorry."  
At that moment, Elaine realized that he was blaming himself

_Oh God, Elaine. What have you done?_

"It's not you... It's me." Elaine said, knowing that it was the worst excuse in the world. She used it on guys all the time.  
Only this time it wasn't an excuse. It was the God's honest truth.

"Right." Jerry said, rising from the sofa.  
"I-I just can't... do this right now... I-I'm sorry..." Elaine said.

His crestfallen look almost shattered her heart.

"Well, I should go." He said, crossing the room to the door.

Quickly she rose to follow him. Just as he reached for the door, she touched his shoulder.

"Jerry?"

He turned to face her.

"Thank you. For tonight, I mean. I had a good time. "  
She tried to smile but it was impossible.

"Sure, no problem. Goodnight, Lainey." Jerry said.  
She couldn't help but hear the harsh tone that consumed his voice.

Elaine watched through blurry eyes as Jerry wordlessly walked out the door... and possibly out of her life. It was then that she realized he'd been calling her _Lainey_ instead of Elaine.

She crossed the room to the sofa and sunk into the cushions, sobbing into a pillow. \

_Why was it so hard to forget about the hurt?_

Just then she heard the unmistakable sound of a car door opening from the street below. Seconds later, the door closed.

Her heart raced, wondering...

She ran to the window and peered out, catching a glimpse of the now-familiar BMW. The engine turned over and idled for several seconds, and then, to her horror, slowly began to pull away from the curb.

Before she could stop herself, she ran down the stairs and onto the sidewalk. When the BMW passed her on the street, she began to run after it.

"JERRY! WAIT! PLEASE!"

Miraculously, the car came to a screeching halt.

Elaine watched as Jerry guided the car back into the parking space and got out of the car.

He turned, stunned to see her running toward him.

"Lainey, what are you do-."  
Before he could finish, Elaine grabbed him and pulled him into a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her until they were both breathless.

"I-I'm so sorry. I-I mean about before." Elaine said when the kisses ended.

The boyishly handsome grin she loved so much had returned.

"Well..." Jerry said. "Don't let it happen again. Because I, for one, can't take that kind of reject-."  
Elaine silenced him with another kiss, realizing at that moment that she'd never been happier.  
For she had truly gone from _Laughter_ to love.


End file.
